Discussion

Ceviche Recipe Please!

hello all...i am going to a mexican theme night party on saturday and would like to bring some ceviche. i have never made it before, but i love it! i was thinking shrimp or scallops or both? can you please give me some ideas! i need to let it "sit" right?thanks!

Scallops make some of the best ceviche. Shrimp do to, provided you have access to good (preferably not farmed) ones. Or use a firm, white-fleshed fish such as red snapper.

The basic procedure is simple:- Slice the seafood across the grain into thin slices (1/4 inch or less) or bite-size cubes.- Place the seafood in a glass or porcelain bowl and add citrus juice (lime is classic but grapefruit, meyer lemon and seville orange are also delicious). I typically use three limes per half pound of seafood.- Marinate in the refrigerator 1/2 to 1 hour, stirring from time to time. When the seafood turns opaque white, it's "cooked." Some recipes say to marinate 3 to 4 hours but I find the taste and texture begin to suffer after 1 hour.- Before serving, season with salt and white pepper and add flavourings such as sliced or chopped onion, scallions or shallots; chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or oregano; chopped serranos or jalapenos (fresh or pickled); chopped tomato; olive oil; and even a dash of white vinegar.- Serve in small bowls or seashells or on a bed of dressed lettuce, watercress, sliced avocados, sliced artichoke hearts, etc.

I made it once before with scallops and it was very good. I think I can do better though. A I do have a couple of questions. Can you use blood oranges to "Cook" the seafood?? If you were to add sweet red peppers would the sweetness come out and take away some of the tartness?? I'm not necessarily complaining about the tartness, just looking for different ideas and ways to have it. I've only had it twice so I really don't exactly know how I like it.

Sure you could. The question is would you want to. While I haven't tried using blood oranges in seviche, I see two potential problems. First, the colour of the juice – especially if you used the dark tarocco oranges, the variety most common in the States – might darken the seafood. Second, the flavour, since eating oranges and especially blood oranges are usually sweet and since taroccos often have a powerful musky flavour that would overwhelm delicate seafood. Maybe for mackerel seviche? ;o)

>If you were to add sweet red peppers would the sweetness come out and take away some of the tartness?<

If you added them to the marinade, some of the sugars and pigments might leech out and flavour/colour the fish. If you added them just before serving, the sweetness would counterbalance the tartness.

I'm Ecuadorean and grew up basically eating the typical Ecuadorean ceviche. Although I don't have the recipe, I do remember my mom making it with shrimps or a fish called Corvina. She would add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice, sliced red onions (this gave it a kick), cilantro, a bit of sugar and tomatoe juice. The color of the liquid was pinkish, and it was delicious! The times that I've gone to Ecuadorean restaurants, their recipes don't vary much from these types of ingredients.